Alexa Cast

Finance Tool YNAB and Alexa

Law enforcement agents from Bentonville, Arkansas asked Amazon to turn over to them audio and other records from an Echo digital assistant that was present in the home of James Andrew Bates, who has been charged with killing a man by the name of Victor Collins; Collins' body was found in Bates' hot tub at the location where the Echo was located, and his death was determined to have occurred by strangulation (with subsequent drowning) – a homicide, not an accident.

In what may ultimately lead to a precedent setting case and/or landmark court ruling, police in Arkansas have demanded that Amazon provide them with recordings made by an Amazon Echo device that was located in the home of murder suspect — and Amazon has refused to honor that request.

An Amazon spokesperson informed me, “Amazon will not release customer information without a valid and binding legal demand properly served on us. Amazon objects to overbroad or otherwise inappropriate demands as a matter of course.” sources:

YNAB Integration

You can now enter information into YNAB(You Need a Budget Software). I love it. You put the software on your device, and it syncs in the cloud (great for spouses). Stop living paycheck to paycheck, get out of debt, and save more money. It's only $50 a year and you can have your transaction synced with your software (so no data entry).

Speaking of Data Entry, you can now use Alexa to enter information

Alexa, ask Why Nab for the balance of Groceries

Alexa, tell Why Nab to record a new transaction for 9 dollars

Alexa, launch Why Nab

To check a category balance:
· “Alexa, ask Why Nab What’s the balance of Transportation?”
· “Alexa, ask Why Nab for the balance of Eating Out”
· “Alexa, ask Why Nab are we able to spend any money on Gifts?”
· “Alexa, ask Why Nab how much cash do we have available to spend in our Gas category?”

To record new spending:
· “Alexa, tell Why Nab to record a new transaction.”
· “Alexa, tell Why Nab to log 25 dollars and 64 cents in Eating Out from Checking.”
· “Alexa, tell Why Nab I just spent 9 dollars and 32 cents.”
· “Alexa, tell Why Nab I just received 10 bucks.”
· “Alexa, tell Why Nab I received 5 dollars yesterday.”

At any time you can say:
· “I'm done”
· “Help”
· “Start over”
· “Quit”

To get started, we'll ask you to securely sign in with your YNABemail and password and select a budget for Alexa to access. You can revoke this access at any time from the “My Account” page.

Fun With Alexa

Ask Alexa to tell you a Friday the 13th fact (she know a ton of them).

Echo Show

Amazon Prime

Amazon Fire TV

Audible

Dave Jackson is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com